The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-05
THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
Plain Talk...CommOn Sense---Entcr-
tanning Words.
''1itor Press and D01incr +:

Eiitor Press and Banner:
The melancholy days have come, the sad
dest In the year. when the Legislature closes
and the members all go home. Yes, go home
and without ever saying aS much as "by your
leave, to the Agriculture! College idea! If
remember Alright. when the establishment of
the State University was being agitatcd one of
the first, best arguments in its favor was that
other States had Universities and we could
not afford to fall behind. South Carolina IS
almost entirely an agricultural State, and 1t
stands to reason that she needs and is able to
have an Agricultural College, or else she must
take the rear as regards State rank.
Mississippi and Michigan already have
thcis in successful operation. Georgia is to
have Tech hnological Srhool-thiS means an
agricultural and mechnnlcal institute. The
State has appropriated $65,G0. Atlanta .plcdg-
ed, If it should be located within her limits,
$40 GOO in cash and 81, 500 year. The authori-
ties intend that the building alone shall cost
S93oW and every thing else Is to be first class
In every respect. South Carolina can do like
wise and not add cent to her taxes. She can
utilize for this purpose her phosphate royalty
which Is S25,0O0 q year. and which ought to be-
considerably more. and the revenue from the
land scrip which Is $500. Following the
Georgia plan and allowing the counties or cit
les to bid for the location, iheavPn forbid TINT
Charleston should get it, thought the con,bin-
ed revenue OF the phosphate royalty and the
land script would support the insiitntion with
perhaps no other help. And rs Gov. Ha.Ood
mildly puts IL, the establishment CT this Col
lcge would be - just concession TO the tax
paying Interest. can nor account Uf lDe
legislatures nOn-action in this matter, unless
Tillman and bis cabinet thought 1t best to let
the Legislature blow Off ali superfluouS gas
and rat her get accustomed to their new found
dignity. before allowing this momcnlous qucs-
ton to be brought before them.
Rome was not built in 4 day. and as the peo-
pie OF South Carolina are pre- emincniy pa
tient people, suppose they will await further
developments ere expressing dissatisfaction
with the men who represent them In the Gem
eral Assembly. / heard a ynungser singing
the other day, in funny gosllng voice,
"And shall our College die, and shall our Col
lcge die,
Then thirty thousand farmer boys will know
the reason why"
And Thought with Gov. Hagood that the
College would he Il Just concession. If the
University was necessity to the professional
portion of our tax payers, the Agriculi ural
College Is no less necessity tn the farmers of
the State. "LetTroJan and Tyran be fed with
the same spoon"
On just such q beautiful night, 1856 years
ago, tie Star in the East fiaSbei its radiant
light over Bethlehem. .Khan-the wise men
knclt in rapt alteration; alb, let us kneel with
them to the sweet Buby-King the holy Christ
child, and while the daZZllng heavens stnop
to kiss the happy earth, the angelic choir
chant to the wondering shepherds the glori-
Gus hymn of all the ages,
"Peace on earth, good will to men,"
Dec. 9th, 1876.